


The Cops

by TWDObsessive



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Bingo Challenge, Bingo Square- Adrenaline and Crisis, Bingo Square- Old vs New, Bingo Square- Rescue, Bingo Square- Sexual Hang-ups, Domestic Violence, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gratuitous Smut, M/M, Mystery, Past Child Abuse, Rickyl Writers' Group, Rookie!Rick, Slow Build, VeteranCop!Daryl, who done it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-10 08:19:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14733365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWDObsessive/pseuds/TWDObsessive
Summary: Rick Grimes, a rookie cop, is partnered with bitter veteran cop, Daryl Dixon.  Working side-by-side, they get to know each other as they unfold the pieces of a mystery involving a series of disappearances.   With a lengthy list of possible suspects, will they be able to solve the case?





	1. Got a Goddamn Boy Scout

**Author's Note:**

> Giant kudos to lotr58. This one was a mess before she helped me work through some issues with the story.

“Dixon, You get the rookie,” Captain Ford announced at the morning briefing.

“You gotta be shitting me,” Daryl complained. “I been running my own car for months now. I don’t need a partner at all, much less some bright-eyed bunny from the cop shop.”

Rick sat quietly in the front row, trying to take it all in. So far it wasn’t anything like what the academy prepared him for. The room was full of worn out, grumpy faces and it smelled like burnt coffee and stale cigarettes.

Out of nowhere, a wadded up ball of paper hit Daryl in the face. 

“It’s your turn,” Rosita shouted from the other direction. “I took officer twizzler last month.”

Tara flipped her sunglasses up and pulled a half-eaten twizzler out of her mouth. “That wasn’t a burden. I kick ass.”

“You dropped your police-issued revolver in the toilet during our first domestic,” Rosita answered with an eye roll.

A piece of crumpled up paper then hit Tara.

“That is true,” Tara replied, glasses back in place and twizzler back in her mouth. “Keep it holstered on day one, new kid.”

“I’m not really a kid. I’m twenty-four,” Rick answered and the whole room groaned.

“Cap, I ain’t wasting space in the trunk on diapers,” Daryl complained.

“You got you’re shitting pants on kid?” Negan asked a still-bright-eyed Rick. “You need your shitting pants on day one. Cause mark my words, you will shit your pants.”

“Especially with Dixon driving,” Dwight yelled from across the room.

“Suck it, asshole. Those dents and scratches give it character,” Daryl looked over to Rick. “Don’t worry, Rook. My last partner only threw up once from my driving.”

“I’m pretty sure I can handle it, Officer Dixon,” Rick answered with an optimistic smile. 

The whole room groaned and a wadded up piece of paper hit Rick.

“Alright. Enough with the paper for Christ’s sake,” Abraham yelled. “Who is it?”

“It’s not Morales, Cap,” Phillip said as Morales crumpled up another copy of the day’s BOLO.

“Hand those out, idiot. Don’t throw them,” Abraham yelled. “Christ it’s like running a daycare.”

The room got quiet as the papers were passed around. 

“Now listen up,” the captain said, now that he had everyone’s full attention. “The BOLO you are looking at is one Beth Greene. She’s been reported missing. She’s sixteen, no priors, no previous runaway attempts, and the boyfriend says he dropped her off at home. She never showed up. Kid says he maybe saw a,” the captain paused and read from his notes, “a blue Ford something,” he quoted.

“A blue Ford something?” Daryl asked. “This kid for real? Is it a damn car or an SUV?”

“I know, I know...let’s just look for the girl, okay? Also, we already got a call from the Peletier home. Dixon, why don’t you take Rook on that one. Everyone out. Get out of here and be cops.”

As the meeting broke, Daryl took off for his vehicle and Rick walked faster to catch up to him. “Just so you know, I was first in my class,” Rick said as if it should calm Daryl’s concern. He knew instantly it was the wrong thing to say.

The older cop just stopped and looked at the kid with his eyebrows lifted in disbelief. “You think getting good grades is gonna help you out there, Rook?”

“It’s Rick, actually.”

“It’s whatever I say it is, Rook. Get in.”

Daryl took off and flipped the lights and siren twice to get around idiots that slowed to a crawl when they saw a cop car. Rick looked out the window, his eyes darting in every direction.

“What the hell are you doing over there?” Daryl grumbled.

“Looking for the girl,” Rick answered. Daryl barked out a bitter laugh. “We don’t find girls like that. She’s probably dead in a ditch somewhere, so look lower.”

“That’s not very optimistic,” Rick answered.

“Nothing about this job is optimistic, Rook.”

They pulled into a Dunkin Donuts and Daryl rolled down the window as he pulled up to the drive-thru. 

“I thought we were headed to this Domestic? The Peletier house?” Rick asked.

“Coffee first. Ed ain’t going nowhere.”

“But what if he’s hurting someone?”

“Old lady won’t press charges. It’s a courtesy visit. You a chocolate kinda guy? Blueberry glaze? Apple Fritter?”

“I already ate breakfast,” Rick answered, some of his enthusiasm for the day waning.

“This ain’t breakfast, Rook. It’s second breakfast. Don’t ‘you know nothin? I’m getting you a blueberry glaze.” 

Daryl ordered two through the window and two black coffees. 

“I don’t drink coffee, actually” Rick said after they drove up to the next window.’

“You’re momma don’t let you drink coffee yet? Well, don’t that just beat all. Guess I’ll drink ‘em both.”

After they got the bag from the window, Daryl stuffed a donut in his mouth and turned back onto the main strip. Rick broke off a piece of his donut and ate it carefully, trying not to get crumbs in the car.

Daryl hit the lights, his mouth full of the parts of the donut that hadn’t crumbled apart and fallen all over his uniform.

“You’re kind of a cliche,” Rick said, nodding at the donut crumbs. 

“And you’re kinda getting on my nerves already. You ain’t even started learning yet. On the streets is where it starts. Not in the academy.”

They pulled up to a modest looking single family home and Rick noticed right away that the neighbors were peeking through the windows at the house next door.

Daryl nodded towards it. “Usually the neighbors that call it in.” He got out of the car and brushed the donut crumbs off as Rick followed.

The door opened and a miserable looking asshole in a wife-beater walked out onto the porch.

“Hello there, Ed,” Daryl said as if they were old friends. “Got us a call today. How’s things here?”

“Things here ain’t none of your goddamn business. It’s my house and my property.”

Rick took a step closer until he was side-by-side with Daryl. “Sir, if we could maybe just talk to your wife, too.” 

Ed legitimately laughed as Daryl faked a laugh with him. “He new?” Ed asked. 

“Yeah. But let’s humor him,” Daryl answered, more serious now. “Hey, Carol! Come on out here.” 

Rick watched as a frail looking woman with short hair walked out onto the porch. She was holding a rag to her cheek

“You don’t look so good today, Carol,” Daryl said. “You want to come with us? Press charges?”

“What for?” Ed yelled. “She got that from opening a cupboard door too fast. She ain’t too bright, y’know?”

“I’m fine,” Daryl,” Carol answered meekly. 

“You sure?” Daryl asked, as if he was finally taking his job seriously. 

She nodded.

“Alright, Rook. Let’s go.”

“Wait,” Rick said, and he walked up closer to the porch. “Since we have you here,” Rick began. “Either of y’all seen a young girl. Sixteen. Blonde. He unfolded the BOLO he had in his back pocket. 

“Jesus Christ,” Daryl mumbled behind him. “Got a goddamn Boy Scout.”

Carol leaned in and looked closely at the picture. “No. I’m sorry,” she said sympathetically. Ed didn’t even look.

“Well, thanks for taking a look ma’am.” Rick reached into his pocket and handed her his card. “If you do see her, or if you need anything, give us a call, okay?”

She nodded as Ed turned and walked back into the house.

Rick turned back to Daryl. “Couldn’t hurt,” he said.

“Come on. We got a quick stop to make over at the park,” Daryl grumbled in that low voice of his. It was a low rumble that Rick actually found soothing even though most of his words were pessimistic or down-right insulting.

“What are you looking for? Drug dealers? Hookers?” Rick asked. 

“Jesus, Rook. Sometimes parks just got kids. Damn, who’s a pessimist now?”

“Good place to look for Beth Greene.”

Daryl just shook his head as he turned the corner and parked. Rick followed him, deciding just to be quiet. To listen and learn. Daryl didn’t seem to like much of what came out of Rick’s mouth. His first day was going to be rough, of that there was no doubt, but he’d grow on Daryl. He’d make it a point to.

The older man walked up to the swingset and sat down on a swing next to a skinny little girl that had a days worth of dirt on her. “Hey there, Miss Sophia” he said in a surprisingly soft and caring voice. “How bad was it today?”

“The usual,” she answered with a shrug. 

“He ain’t laid a hand on you yet, right?”

“No, sir.” 

“You’ll tell me if he does? You promise?” Daryl asked.

“Yes, Officer Dixon,” she said sweetly.

There was something incredibly sweet about seeing the grumpy cop, sit down and talk gently to the tiny waif of a girl. It was clear there was more to Daryl than what first meets the eye. Rick was already intrigued to learn more.

After a bit more small talk, Daryl got up off the swing and walked back to the car with Rick on his heels. 

“Knew you had a heart, Dixon,” Rick said with a smile.

“You forgot to ask her if she saw the Greene girl, Rook,” Daryl answered. “Slipping already.”


	2. Telling The Bad Guys To Stop It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be thanking lotr58 for the beta every chapter.

Been on the force four years,” Daryl answered. They’d been riding together a week and finally Daryl was starting to actually chat.

“What’s that make you, twenty-nine?”

“Twenty-eight. These early greys are compliments of Captain Ford and the City of Senoia, both pains in my ass.”

“Twenty-eight? What’s with all the kid stuff then? You aren’t much older than me!”

“Four years of seeing the same shit happen and nothing change ages ya. You’re a rookie. You’re like a baby lamb out here. You still think our main job is to get the bad guys.”

“What _is_ our main job then?” Rick asked indignantly. 

Daryl looked over at him and then back to the road. “Telling the bad guys to stop it. Over and over again until someone really gets hurt. Bustin’ up a violent domestic one day just to see the wife hanging on the guy’s arm like everything’s okay the very next.”

“You’re still doing good. You’re doing what you can within the confines of the law. There’s no shame in that,” Rick said.

Daryl rolled his eyes. “Jesus, Rook. You’re killing me these past few days. I expected the mopey bitterness to seep into your bones by now. Didn’t those two domestics from yesterday jar ya?”

“Everything jars me,” Rick answered. “But we just keep doing what we can.”

“You’ll find out soon what we can do ain’t much.”

_All officers, we have a 10.14, 105 West Main, Senoia. 488. Please respond._

Daryl grabbed the radio. “Car 708 responding.” He turned to Rick. “What do we have?” he tested, as he hit the lights and changed lanes.

“10.14. Is that citizen holding a suspect?”

“Yup. ‘Nother day, another donut.”

“And 488 petty theft,” Rick added.

“Good job, Rook. 105 West Main should be the Gas-N-Go.”

They turned onto Main and Daryl slammed to a stop, driving up on the curb of the gas station. 

“Christ, Dixon. You drive like shit,” Rick muttered with a smile, as they both got out, hands hovering over their weapons. There were a few cars in the lot, with rubber-neckers waiting to find out what would happen next, and Rick noticed one with a cell phone out. 

“Being recorded,” Rick said quietly.

“Good eye, Rook.”

When they walked in, the man behind the counter had a shotgun pointed at a kid with his hands in the air. Rick glanced around the room looking for anything unexpected and he kicked a pistol that had been abandoned on the floor away from the suspect.

“Alright, Martinez. We got this. Drop your weapon,” Daryl said to the man at the register.

Rick was surprised again at how small a world it was that Daryl knew so many of the citizens in just his four short years.

“I ought to just shoot him, yo. I been standing here waiting for you twenty minutes! Second time this month I’m held up, pendejo. These guys just keep getting back out,” the shopkeeper shouted.

“You gonna disarm him?” the young perp shouted back. “Who’s got the gun here? It ain’t me.”

“QUIET!” Daryl shouted. “Martinez. Gun down. You,” he pointed to the perp. “Ain’t that your gun on the ground?

The young Hispanic looked down and back up at Daryl and snarled. “Never seen it before, puta.”

Rick was taking the shotgun from Martinez and retrieving the pistol from the floor as Daryl continued to argue with the petty thief. He cuffed the kid and frisked him, checking his ID. “Miguel. You Vatos, kid?” Daryl asked.

The kid spit. “I ain’t nothing. It’s my word against his,” he spat.

“There was a pistol at your feet and a video camera in the corner. Still not you?”

“He is loca! He almost killed me with that shotgun,” Miguel shouted as Daryl walked him to the car, reading him his rights.

Rick handed the shotgun back to Martinez and stayed to get his statement.

On the way back to the station, Rick looked in the rearview at Miguel. It was up to the detectives and prosecutors now, and Rick would never know if the kid ever got rehabilitated or just rotted in the system for the rest of his life.

“You think this kid will just get probation?” Rick asked after they’d dropped him off at the station.

“Depends what else he’s done,” Daryl answered. “Just our job to bring him in. You feel like a hero dragging in a damn kid like that?”

“Well,” Rick said. “He had a gun. He could have killed someone.”

“Gun wasn’t loaded. I could tell by the way you picked it up. Plus, I was at this kid’s house a few weeks back. Old man was dealing H. His Daddy got taken in now where’s the money come from? Endless circle.”

Rick looked out the window as they pulled back out onto the highway. “You trying to drag me down, Daryl? Do you just want everyone to be as miserable as you?”

Daryl sighed and put fingers to his temples. “No, man. Just looking out for you...preparing you to be a realist,” he looked at Rick with sympathy. “Believe it or not, I used to be as hopeful as you when I first started. Was gonna save the world.”

“Why do you care about looking out for me so bad?” Rick asked.

“Well, we’re brothers’ now, Rook. Whether you like it or not.”

As the weeks went on, Rick acclimated to being a Senoia City cop. He and Daryl got in a good groove together on calls. They knew when to good cop/bad cop and when to stand back and let the other take charge. Daryl was much better at handling domestics. Rick was better at talking down the drunks and stoners. They ended up, despite all concerns to the contrary, making a great team. And Rick couldn’t have been happier to finally be a uniformed cop, on patrol with someone as wise and ultimately caring (in his own way) as Daryl was.


	3. Illegal Skateboarding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta’d by the wonderful lotr58

“Alright,” Sargent Ford barked. “I want asses in chairs now.”

Everyone finally settled in, Rick sitting next to Daryl now as he did for every morning briefing. 

“Guess what? There are still criminals out there.”

“Cap, that can’t be,” Morales shouted. “Me and Philip got ‘em all yesterday.”

An empty coffee cup hit Morales in the back of the head. 

“I know you guys have had a heavy load over in the Outpost neighborhood this week. I’m putting you on patrol over on 40 today. Daryl, Rook -- you guys patrol the shit show today, okay?”

“Cap,” Rick said, raising his hand like a damn Rook. “It’s been six weeks. I’m not a damn Rook anymore.”

“Cap, I ain’t had to put him in pampers for at least a week,” Daryl defended.

A piece of wadded up paper hit Daryl in the head. 

“This place is a goddamn zoo,” Abe shouted. “Negan, before you and Dwight head out I want you two to pick up this damn room.”

“Fuck why, Cap?” Negan boomed as Dwight sat next to him wadding up a piece of paper and handing it to him. 

“And while you are all out on the streets representing the great Senoia PD, try to remember we still have a BOLO out on a missing girl. Detectives haven’t had any leads in weeks. The pictures are coming around again this morning. Go find her for fuck’s sake.”

“So what’s the Outpost neighborhood like?” Rick asked as they headed to their car.

“Shithole. Lotta drugs. We’ll probably have some busts today so get your party hat on.”

After a long morning of driving around Outpost, they stopped at a Dunkin Donuts. 

As Daryl wolfed down a donut, Rick pulled out the month-old BOLO and tried to commit the picture to memory.

“Can’t believe they haven’t had a single lead here,” Rick said.

Daryl took the BOLO and looked at it. “Should’ve known Missing Persons would let this fester. Seems like they never find shit.” For being as bitter as he was, his voice was filled with empathy and sorrow. “Really was hoping they’d find her.”

“Oh, you had hope? That’s a new one,” Rick teased.

“And see what it got me?” Daryl asked. The sadness in his eyes was barely perceptible, but Rick could see it. They’d been getting used to each other. Learning to read one another on a deeper level. And there was something in this man that really did hope and want and try. It wasn’t all dark and sullen. Rick liked seeing those raw parts of the man; it was like peeking through the blinds.

“There’s always a chance,” Rick said.

Daryl smiled at that. “Y’know Rook. You’re optimism is growing on me. It’s misplaced. But it’s refreshing.” 

—————-

Back out on patrol the next day, Rick watched a few teenagers skateboard through a strip mall parking lot.

“There,” Rick said as he pointed at the kids.

Daryl laughed deep and loud. “I ain’t arresting anyone for illegal skateboarding, Rook.”

“Rick, and I just meant maybe we could show them the flyer. They look about Beth’s age.”

Daryl sighed heavily. “Fine. But I’m going for donuts after.”

In the past months Rick had grown sick to death of donuts but he conceded. They pulled into the lot and Rick jumped out of the car. The neighborhood was a little sketchy for Senoia and the kids just stood and watched, skateboards kicked up on two wheels.

“You gonna pop us for boarding?” The tall one asked.

“Well, there _is_ a sign posted,” Rick said as he pointed to it. “But I just wanted to see if you guys know this girl.” Rick started unfolding the paper as Daryl walked up behind them.

“Yo, Dixon. What’s with the new guy?” One of the kids asked.

“Rookie do-gooder. Give him a break and humor him will ya, Zack?”

A blonde kid was the first one to take the BOLO and look at it. He snickered and handed it back to Zack.

Zack glanced at it and showed it to the skinny black kid behind them. 

“Noah, you know her?” he asked coyly.

“Know her better than Sam does,” Noah said with a wink.

“You seen her lately?” Rick asked, a ray of hope in his voice.

“Surprised _you_ guys haven’t,” Zack said as he kicked his skateboard up into one hand while tucking the other into the pocket of his tattered jean jacket.

“Why would _we _have seen her?” Daryl asked.__

__“She hung with one of your guys, man,” Sam said._ _

__“One of _our_ guys?” Rick asked. “What’s that mean?”_ _

__“Noah got a hand up her skirt last summer,” Zack announced, off topic._ _

__“I cannot tell a lie,” Noah said with a bright smile. “That’s true.”_ _

__Daryl moved forward, grabbed Noah by the collar, and backed him up to the brick wall. “Enough of the bullshit. Officer Grimes asked you a question.”_ _

__“You cops, man,” Noah said. “She was hanging around this cop.”_ _

__Daryl looked back at Rick with a raised brow._ _

__“Oh yeah? Which one?” Daryl asked as he took his hand off Noah’s collar._ _

__“I dunno. One of you. You all look the damn same,” Noah answered._ _

__Rick opened his notebook, clicked his pen and started taking notes._ _

__“So she was with a cop recently? When was the last time you saw her with him?”_ _

__Sam shrugged. “Last month maybe.”_ _

__“Senoia PD like us?” Rick asked, pointing out the look of his uniform._ _

__“Yeah. They always kept off to the back of the parking lot at school when he’d pick her up,” Zack added._ _

__“Can you describe him?” Daryl asked. “How tall was he?”_ _

__“Average.”_ _

__“Fat or thin?”_ _

__“Average.”_ _

__“Blonde or brunette?”_ _

__“Average, man.” Noah answered again and Daryl looked up and glared at him._ _

__“Man, I told you. You all look the same to us. All we see is cops, man.”_ _

__“She ever talk about him?” Rick asked_ _

__“She told Noah she had a boyfriend after she dumped him,” Sam said._ _

__“She didn’t dump me. We were never together.”_ _

__“You angry about not being with her, Noah?” Rick asked._ _

__“Oh for fuck’s sake. Can’t you just give us a citation for the skateboards and be done here?” Zack asked._ _

__“She was just a girl at school. One of many,” Noah said._ _

__Rick and Daryl shared a look. It was all they could do for now._ _

__Rick tucked his notebook and pen away and pulled out his cards. He handed one to each of the kids. “You think of anything else that might help us, give me a call.”_ _

__“You don’t think she’s dead, do you?” Zack asked with some sincerity in his voice._ _

__“Won’t know til we find her,” Rick answered. “If you remember _anything_ give us a call._ _

__Daryl headed back to the car. “And take the skateboarding somewhere else,” he yelled over his shoulder._ _

__They drove for a while in silence, both deep in thought._ _

__“That one kid called you Dixon. Why?” Rick asked._ _

__Daryl lifted a brow and looked over. “Why you wanna know?”_ _

__“They seem to know you. I just wondered how. You bust him before?”_ _

__Daryl took a deep breath and turned onto Interstate 70. “For an optimistic boyscout you always seem to go to the dark side first.” Rick stayed silent, waiting for his answer._ _

__“It’s my old neighborhood. I babysat some of them damn kids.”_ _

__“You came out of that neighborhood and became a cop? Good on you,” Rick said. “Most kids would just turn into their parents. Not to insinuate that your parents weren’t any good.”_ _

__They were quiet a while longer and finally Daryl took a deep breath and spoke. “They weren’t any good. Became a cop to help kids that was going through the same shit I been through. Turns out you can’t change shit as a cop. I always thought they was superheros when they’d come get my dad and put him in the drunk tank. Guess I didn’t take into account that he always got back out. Guess I didn’t think that I’d be seeing that cycle day in and day out.”_ _

__Rick huffed out a breath. “You try acting like this big bad heartless veteran cop, but you’re a good man, Daryl Dixon.”_ _

__“Don’t let it get around. So what do you think of this cop angle?”_ _

__“I don’t know any of them that well yet. What do you think?”_ _

__Daryl tapped his fingers on the steering wheel then raised a thumbnail to his lips and started biting. He shook his head. “I can’t think of a one that isn’t straight up. Those kids are a bunch of punks, but I know them well enough to know that they were telling the truth. Someone in our house is hiding something. Even if they didn’t kill her or aren’t hiding her...If they just fucked her once…they should have spoken up.”_ _

__“Should we tell someone?” Rick asked as they pulled into a Dunkin Donuts._ _

__“Nah. Let’s keep this close to the chest, Rook. We’ll pay a little extra attention in tomorrow morning’s meeting.”_ _

__“Daryl?”_ _

__“Yeah, Rook?”_ _

__“Are you ever gonna call me Rick?”_ _

__“Probably not.”_ _


	4. Find Some Hookers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for lotr58 for her beta!

Rick stood in the shower with his hands on the wall and his head under the hot spray. He let the water run down his face. Barely two months on the force and already he was in a compromising position. The story about the cop with Beth...that’s something Internal Affairs should be made aware of. But Rick didn’t want to overstep his bounds with his first partner. They’d just really started clicking.

Daryl seemed like a good person --well-- deep down, and it didn’t hurt to ride around all day with someone that was easy on the eyes, that honey’d voice of his a soundtrack for the day. Rick soaped up and finished his shower, wrapping a towel around his waist as he walked to his bedroom. 

The cell phone on his dresser buzzed and he went to check it. It was a text message from Daryl.

_I’m outside your door. Let me in._

Rick pulled his towel tighter and went to open the front door.

“What are you doing here? I’ll see you at the morning meeting in like half an hour.”

Daryl pushed his way in with a coffee in each hand and a bag of donuts between his teeth.

“Need to talk,” he mumbled through the paper bag. He dropped it on the kitchen table and handed Rick a coffee.

“So is this what you wear when your lounging around the house?” Daryl asked as he waved at the towel. 

“Fuck you, Dixon,” Rick said as he rolled his eyes and walked back to his bedroom.

“Hey, it’s a nice color on you!” Daryl teased. 

“What do we need to talk about?” Rick yelled from the bedroom.

“Those kids. Noah, Sam, and Zack. I ran them through the system last night and Sam has a prior. Possession with intent to distribute, and Zack did a stint in Juvie for bringing a knife to school.”

“What’s that mean? You think they might be involved?” Rick asked as he tugged on his pants.

“I’d hate to think it, but just because I know them doesn’t mean I can write them off as innocent. I mean, Jesus. Noah fooled around with her for Christ’s sake. We just shouldn’t take them off our radar quite yet.”

Rick finally came out of the bedroom fully dressed. 

“Pity. I liked the towel better,” Daryl teased with a wink.

Rick rolled his eyes and attempted to control his blush. “We’re just beat cops, Daryl. Shouldn’t there be a team of detectives on this?”

“There is. But it’s Tyreese and Tobin.”

“What’s wrong with them?”

“Dumb and dumber. Cap gave us the BOLO. We’re BOLO’ing,” Daryl said. “So we say nothing at the meeting. Yeah?”

“Yeah, okay. So what are we going to do with this cop lead then?”

“Find some hookers,” Daryl said firmly.

Rick coughed up his sip of the bitter coffee that he still hadn’t developed a strong liking for yet. “What?”

“Hookers know all kinds of things about how cops are with women. Might find us some interesting information. I know a few girls that might be inclined to talk.”

\--------------------  
After the morning meeting, where there was nothing suspicious about any of the other cops, they climbed in the car and headed to the edge of town to a truck stop that fell within their jurisdiction. 

Daryl pulled into the parking lot and walked up to the rest stop plaza.

“Right there,” he whispered, pointing at a leggy blonde.

“Lady of the night?” Rick whispered back. 

“Yup. Andrea.” 

Daryl walked up to her with his patented smile--it was just a quirk of his lip like he knew something you didn’t. There was something incredibly charming about it and just seeing it had started making Rick smile, too. 

“Andrea, how’s business?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Dixon. You haven’t caught me doing nothing but loitering. You gonna take me in for that?”

Daryl leaned against the counter next to her. “No. Not looking to take anyone in today. But I’m looking.”

“For what, officer?” she said softly. “You finally batting for my team?” She ran fingers through her long hair, then spared a glance at Rick, “Or is this some kind of two-for-one deal?”

“Looking for answers, Darlin’,” Daryl said with that smile. “Tell me...you help out the truckers here from time to time...let’s say...you wipe their windows. 

“Yeah, okay.”

“You wipe anyone else’s windows?” 

“Your new partner is adorable,” she said, changing the subject, her eyes back on Rick.

“He is, but unless you want to take a ride to the station looking at the back of his head, I suggest you maybe tell me about who else you...wipe windows for.”

“What do you want to know, Officer? I don’t have time to play games.”

“Any cops come to you?”

“Everyone comes to me, baby,” she answered, batting her eyelashes. “I’ll give you a first time freebie, sweetheart,” she said to Rick.

“I’m good, ma’am. Thanks,” Rick answered quietly. “I uh, bat for the same team he does.”

Daryl quirked up a brow and grinned at that, giving Rick a nod in solidarity. Then he turned back to Andrea.

“Which cops do you provide services for? You got names? Descriptions? Any of them ask for anything kinky. Tied up scenes or kidnapping scenarios?”

“I’m not spilling beans on any officers, man. You know how fast I’d be in jail? You boys in blue stick together.”

“It ain’t like that, Andrea. Got a young girl missing,” Daryl nodded to Rick to pull out the BOLO picture. Andrea took it and looked at it. 

“I’ve seen her,” she said.

“Where?” Rick asked. “When?”

“Month ago, maybe. She was in here at the truck stop with someone.”

“A cop?” Daryl asked. 

“No. A kid. Kinda short dark spiky hair. Worn out jean jacket.”

Rick looked to Daryl. “Zack?”

“She might have called him that,” Andrea said as she pulled out a tube of lipstick and reapplied.

“How were they acting? Did they seem like a couple? Did it seem like she was there voluntarily?”

Andrea shrugged. “She looked pissed. They weren’t holding hands or anything.”

“So back to the cops,” Rick said, changing the subject.

“Boys,” Andrea said with a sigh, “I see too many of them to narrow anything down for you.”

Back in the car, Daryl turned to Rick as he started the vehicle. “You didn’t mention you were gay.”

“Did I have to?” Rick asked. “Shouldn’t matter.”

“Well, I’d just like to know if the person I’m working with might be checking out my ass,” Daryl answered with a grin.

“What’s the difference if you know or not?”

“Well, I’d want my ass to look it’s best,” Daryl explained. “Maybe hit the gym for some glute work.”

“You’re ass is fine,” Rick said with a sigh and an eye roll. 

“Ah Ha!!” said Daryl. “So you have been checking out my ass!” Daryl turned onto the highway and headed back into town.

“Well when your standing in front of me it’s right there!” Rick answered, defensively. “Have YOU been checking out MINE?”

“Yup. Absolutely. No doubt about it,” Daryl said with his quirky confidence.


	5. Prison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I do this every chapter, but yay for lotr58 for beta'ing!

Rick ironed his uniform in his boxers as he watched the baseball game on TV. It was hot out. Hell, it was hot in. When he didn’t have to wear long pants and a tie, he chose to wear as little as possible. That was something they didn’t warn you about at the Academy...how damn hot it would be out in the car all day.

Other than that he was happy with the Senoia PD. He liked his partner, he’d started making connections in the neighborhood, and he had his first drug bust the other week. It was the first time he’d had to draw his gun. His adrenaline had kept his fear at bay, and it wasn’t until that night alone in bed that he started shaking about what could have been. As Rick flipped his pants over the front door opened and Daryl waltzed right in with two coffees. 

“We need to run to the prison this afternoon,” he announced.

Rick just stared at him, his jaw agape.

“Daryl. I’m in my underwear for fuck’s sake. Knock first.”

The other main feigned a look of innocence and shrugged. “My hands were full.”

“You know we’re off today, right?” Rick asked as he started pulling on his work pants.

“You gonna be one a them cops who stops working cause your shift is over or you wanna be a real cop?”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Rick whined as he pulled his button-up off the rack he had set up in the living room.

“No, no. No uniform. Merle ain’t gonna want to talk if we go in there badges blazing.”

“Who’s Merle?”

“A prisoner. Come on, let’s go.”

By the time Rick was dressed in jeans and a blue T-shirt, Daryl was itching to move. He pulled out of the townhouse parking lot with a squeal of tires.

“So what do you think this Merle is going to spit out?” Rick asked as he sipped at his coffee, starting to develop a taste for it.

“Prisoners talk. Want to see if he’s heard any gossip on our fellow brothers in blue.”

“What makes you think he’ll talk? Andrea didn’t.”

“Don’t worry about it. He’ll talk to me.”

As they drove down the highway, Rick asked, “You know at first you wrote Beth Greene off as dead. What changed your tune?”

“Thought about if it was Sophia, y’know someone I knew. Shouldn’t have taken that though,” Daryl admitted. “I shoulda been eagle-eyeing it on day one like you instead of writing her off.

“You know we haven’t gotten a Peletier call in like two weeks. Maybe that’s good news.”

“Abusers don’t stop abusing. Rosita and Tara got a call there yesterday.”

“Surprised you didn’t want to swing by and check on Sophia.”

“I did. Last night after work. She’s fine.”

A horn honked as Daryl swung into another lane and took the exit to the Woodbury Prison. “I think this is going to be as worthwhile as the truckstop,” Rick sighed.

“That’s why I’m the ranking officer here. I know we’ll get something.”

“Neither one of us are officers today. And do you think someone is going to take you seriously wearing a T-shirt with the Blues Brothers on it?”

“This is a classic. It will get me more respect,” Daryl insisted with that sly smile.

It was the first time Rick had ever been in a prison. He’d seen the local P.D. lock-up before, but the metal clanging sound of doors being opened and closed behind him was eerie as fuck. They were eventually led to a common area with a half dozen vending machines and the same amount of tables. They sat down in the corner until Merle arrived. He was a lot bigger than Rick had expected. And a lot louder.

“You shitting me, baby brother? You bring your new boy toy to visit me?”

“He’s not my boy toy, he’s my partner on the force. Sit down.”

Merle glanced Rick up and down. “Your first day, kid?”

“I’m 24,” Rick grumbled.

“Leave the Rook alone, Merle. Look, I need your help,” Daryl said, lowering his voice.

“I don’t help pigs,” Merle barked.

“Then help your brother. Look there’s a young girl missing and we’ve got reason to believe it might be a cop.”

“Then why you looking here, genius? We about as far opposite of cops as you can get,” he laughed.

“I know you guys talk. I just wanted to know if you had any scoop on dirty cops. You hate cops, right? So help me find the one responsible. You know, Merle. You KNOW what could be happening. We both know: beatings, abuse, rape.” Daryl said the last word as if it were a slimy bug he really didn’t want to touch.

Merle leaned back, his expression focused like he was trying to remember everything he ever knew. He finally leaned forward. “What do I get if my info helps?”

“I’ll get you a world’s best brother mug, how about that?”

“How about early release for good behavior?”

“Merle,” Daryl said quietly. “How about you help these kids out of what we lived through, huh? Ain’t that enough of a reward?”

Merle darted his eyes back over to Rick.

“You remember this, Rook. I get out in another six months. You stop me for speeding or something you owe me a ‘look the other way’.”

“Done,” Rick said with a nod.

Merle leaned forward and put his hands on the table. “Alright, here’s all I know. That one cop with the fucked up eye...the fucker that got me.”

“Phillip Blake,” Daryl said. 

“Yeah, him. He let one of the guys in here go free for a blowjob after he found enough weed on him to get him on distribution. Other guy…that Negan asshole that loves to hear himself talk? He beat Tomas with a baseball bat for givin’ his ole’ lady a black eye.”

“Okay…” Daryl nodded as he took notes. “This is good. Anyone else been less than honest?”

“Not that I know of. Except for the one guilting information out of me without a reward for it.

“Yeah, I’m evil,” Daryl sighed. “Anyone else, Merle?” 

“Oh wait. There is one more. That fat fucker, Joe-something. He’s sleazy. Guy Axel here said Joe tried to sweet talk his ol’ lady out on a date right in front of him. He’s got a real eye for the ladies.”

Daryl nodded and looked over at Rick. “He does have a bit of a sleazy personality, don’tcha think?”

“Don’t trust him as far as I could throw him,” Rick answered in agreement.

“Alright,” Daryl said as he stood. “Good to see you. Try to keep your nose clean another six months and I’ll be able to bring you with me when I leave.”

“Daryl,” Merle said as both the officers reached the door. “Don’t let them kids get hurt.”

“I’m working on it, brother. I’m working on it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any new guesses on who-done-it?


	6. Spaghetti

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who beta'd this? come on, guess! It was lotr58!! Kudos to her!!

As they pulled out of the prison parking lot, Daryl checked his watch and flipped on his blinker.

“Where we going?” Rick asked.

“Try to catch Zack on his way home from school. See if there’s anything to that.”

“Sounds good.” Rick tapped his fingers on the squad car’s laptop as they drove. 

“So that was your brother? What’s he in for?”

“Drugs.”

“Doesn’t seem like a bad guy. Maybe just bad circumstances.”

“Yeah, we both had bad circumstances and I didn’t turn out like that. Merle could do better if he wanted. He’s just lazy. He took the path he was dealt rather than fighting a bit to do better.”

“How bad was it?” Rick asked.

“How bad was what?” 

“Growing up Dixon.”

Daryl flipped the siren on for a quick beep. “There’s Zack.” He slowed the car down and matched his footsteps. “Hey, Zack. Where ya headed?”

“What do you want Dixon? I ain’t doing nothing wrong.” Zack stopped and tilted his head, impatiently waiting for an answer.

“Were you doing something _wrong_ with Beth when you had her out over at the truck stop last month?”

Zack straightened his posture and took a deep breath.

“I’m guessing you were and that’s why you lied to me in front of your friends.”

Zack sighed and walked up to the car window. “Look man, I ain’t got nothing to do with her being missing. Took her up there because her brother was in town with a Pepsi truck and she wanted to say hi.”

“I heard she was pissed that day,” Rick said, leaning over and looking up at Zack.

“I tried to get a little handsy with her, okay. I didn’t push nothing and I took her right back home. Just didn’t mention it to the guys because they’d have gotten on my shit for trying to get a piece and failing.”

“She say anything that might have to do with her disappearance?”

“She said I was too young for her. Guess she was really having eyes on her older cop. Maybe she just ran away to be with him, man. She’s eighteen.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Daryl answered. “Go home and do your homework,” he said as he pulled back onto the road and drove away.

“Well, what do you think?” Daryl asked.

“How can we find this brother? Maybe she went back to the truckstop and took off with him?”

“I’ll make some calls back at the office before I leave for the day. Hey, you wanna meet back up for dinner later? I can let you know what I found out.”

Rick smiled. “Yeah, I can do dinner.”

\----------

At home that evening, wearing nothing but his boxers, Rick stood in front of his closet staring at its contents. It was a work dinner...he knew that. It definitely wasn’t a date. But he wanted to look nice anyway. Hell, Daryl always looked nice, not that Rick allowed himself to really notice. Daryl may bat for his team, but he was off limits. They were co-workers. That was it. Still though, it wouldn’t hurt to get to know the guy better, and wearing a nice shirt to dinner was just what you did when you went out to dinner. He flipped through everything again and picked a brown button-up and a pair of well worn jeans. His favorite pair. 

The doorbell rang, giving him only enough time to run fingers through his untamed curls. He jogged downstairs and opened it.

“Since when do you knock?”

“Since I realized you like to walk around in your skivvies. You ready?” 

“Yeah, where we going?”

“You like Italian?”

“Sure,” Rick answered. He would have been okay with anything. Rick had grown quite smitten with Daryl’s hard outer shell and the sensitive heart underneath it. He wanted to learn more about the older man, wanted to understand him better. There was a mysteriousness to him that intrigued Rick. They spent a lot of time in the car together, might as well get to know each other outside of it.

They pulled into La Bella Italia and got seated at a booth in the back corner of the restaurant. 

 

Rick picked up the menu and glanced over it. “What’s good here?”

“Spaghetti,” Dary answered instantly.

Rick folded his menu and they ordered two plates of spaghetti and meatballs.

“So what did you find out about the brother?”

“I may have slipped in to Tobin and Tyreese’s office and may have flipped open some of their files. The brother was still in town when she was reported missing. They checked his truck. Dead end.”

“Damnit. That was my hope she was still alive.”

“Well, despite what I said at first about not finding girls like that... you should still keep that hope. I like that you have that. It’s keeping us going.”

“So let’s look back at the precinct then. What do _you_ know about each of the other cops?” Rick asked, taking out a notepad and a pen.

Daryl gave a heavy sigh and took a sip of the red wine he’d ordered. “Well, let’s see. There’s Phillip Blake. Merle said he took a BJ to look the other way. I know his wife’s gone. He’s got a daughter who’s special needs. Like severely. Don’t think she can walk, talk, or feed herself. She’s pretty much a zombie. Lot of his time is taken up with her.

Old Joe. He likes to ride motorcycles when he’s not working. Has some sketchy friends. Real sketchy. Never thought he’d turn bad cop but I suppose it’s possible especially after what Merle said. 

Negan. I know his wife Lucille died last year. He’s taken it really hard. All’s I know about Gareth is that he’s a goddamn hog. I watched him devour ten hot dogs at the precinct picnic last summer.

Otis. He had court-ordered therapy a while back for shooting a kid in a friendly fire incident. 

Dwight. I dunno. I never know what to make of him. Same with Morales. Both see cleam but I just don’t know them enough to be confident in it. Captain’s legit at least I think. He doesn’t have any baggage that I know of.

Dinner arrived to the table as Rick was folding up his notebook. “Couple in there that might have reason or motive or means between what Merle knows and what we know.

“Yeah. Still hate to think it, though. They all been good guys. We’ve had each other’s back through all kinds of shit.”

“Maybe the whole cop angle is sending us down a rabbit hole with nothing at the bottom of it. I mean..we’re working on the word of a couple damn kids.”

Daryl shrugged as he shoveled in another huge forkful of pasta. “It’s all we got,” he said with his mouth full.

They ate in silence for a while until Daryl broke it. “So what made you want to be a cop?”

Rick took a slug of his wine before he answered. “My Dad was a cop. And his Dad. And both my uncles. And…”

“Did _you_ want to be a cop?”

“I didn’t not want to be. I honestly never really thought about it. It was just...the plan.”

“Your old man must be proud.”

“I hope so. He died. In the line of duty the week before I graduated.”

“Sorry,” Daryl said. “That sucks. The good ones die, the bad ones keep on kicking.”

“What about your old man? He’s one of the bad ones, that much I’ve gathered.”

“Still kicking. And not too thrilled with my career choice.”

“Do you...still see him?”

“No fucking way. He’s locked up in a prison in Atlanta. Got him for child pornography. Surprised the other prisoners haven’t killed him yet. Shouldn’t be much longer.”

“Oh...shit. Does that mean...well..shit. I’m...I’m sorry.”

Daryl shrugged. “‘S over.”

“That’s why you’re so concerned with Sophia.” 

“I seen him look at her before. I don’t like it.”

“It sucks seeing Carol refuse to press charges,” Rick said as he sat back, full from his meal.

“You’re gonna see a lot more of that shit. Then you’ll understand why I’m so bitter.”

“So what’s our plan for tomorrow?”

“Gotta keep things on the level during the work day. Tomorrow night we pick a cop and stake out his house. Do one each night. Look for anything suspicious.”

“Who do we pick first?”

“Well, sounds like Beth was at least interested a bit on her own. I’d say start with the younger, better looking cops and go from there.”

“So Gareth first?” Rick asked.

“What? No. Negan. You think Gareth is better looking than Negan??”

“Come on, man. He’s cute.”

“He’s a putz. Negan’s got that tall, dark, and handsome thing going on.”

“That what you go for?” Rick asked, more flirtatiously than he intended.

“Well, I prefer curls. And blue eyes. But I also prefer for things not to be complicated so…I haven’t asked you out because you’re my partner at work.”

“Yeah,” Rick said, disappointed. “Don’t shit where you eat.”

Daryl laughed and pulled out his wallet. “I got dinner. You can get it next time. Get some sleep tonight because the next few days we’ll be pulling some long hours. We can start with Gareth tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All new guesses welcome!


	7. Small Towns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks lotr58!!

Rick struggled to sleep that night. He was a rookie and already wrapped up in a serious internal investigation, but surprisingly that wasn’t what kept him awake.

 _”I prefer curls. And blue eyes.”_

That’s what kept him awake. He hadn’t had a real relationship since college and Daryl had a way of just...becoming a part of him, falling into his life flawlessly like he’d always been there. In such a short time Rick already felt years worth of kinship with the man. They had a connection, they worked well with one another, they talked easily without effort.

_”I haven’t asked you out because you’re my partner at work.”_

Rick thought of the soft timbre of Daryl’s voice when he’d said those words, the lowering of his voice, the intimacy in it like it was a shared secret. When Rick finally drifted off, Daryl had even managed to dig into his dreams, just fleeting moments and flashes of his smile.

\-----------

Daryl brought donuts to the morning meeting and he and Rick sat in the back corner observing the other officers quietly. 

“Alright everyone. Calm the fuck down. It’s not the first time you’ve seen donuts! Probably not even the first time today. Grab one and sit down,” Abe shouted.

“Hey Cap,” Otis yelled. “There’s only one Boston Cream left.”

“Anyone touches that I’m taking your gun and your badge for a week,” Abe said, “Now sit down and shut up.”

Everyone finally settled down, mouths full of jelly and chocolate and powdered sugar.

“Alright, Negan, Dwight -- I want you two out on 26 today. Lot of complaints about aggressive driving.”

Both men sighed. “Sounds like a fucking party, Cap,” Negan said. “Can’t wait to spend my day in a sea of flannel and unwashed truck driver.

“Good. Have a blast,” Abe countered.

“Rosita and Tara -- cover downtown. Gareth, Blake, Otis, Morales, Grimes, Dixon -- you have quotas to meet; get out there and meet them. It’s the end of the month.”

Everyone started standing and dusting donut crumbs off themselves. “Wait, we got a call from Peletier this morning,” Abe shouted over the noise.

“We got it, Cap,” Daryl yelled out.

“Well, make it quick. I’ll have Tobin and Tyreese meet you in a bit.”

Rick and Daryl shared a confused look and walked up to Abe. “What do you mean? For a domestic?”

“It wasn’t a neighbor’s call this time. It was Mrs. Peletier. Sophia’s missing.”

Daryl sped out of the parking lot with the lights and siren on. “Fuck. It’s gotta be connected. Maybe Ed has Beth and Sophia hidden in the cellar or something. Fuck.”

“She might have just seen a fight and hid somewhere. Let’s take it one step at a time, man.”

“You’re still too green, Rook. Nothing ends that easy. Ever.”

When they got to the house Carol and Ed were both outside.

“Well, the one damn time you take forever to show up is when _I_ need help,” Ed growled. 

 

Daryl got out of the car, marched up to Ed, and punched him square in the jaw.

“Daryl! Stop it,” Rick yelled, trying to separate the men who were now in full fighting mode -- swinging fists and shouting curses. 

 

“Stop it!” Carol shouted. “We don’t have time for this! My baby is _missing_!” she shouted over the commotion. Rick finally got Ed peeled away and Daryl stood, the start of a black eye, hair sticking out in ten different directions, and out of breath.

“Ed, if you honestly had nothing to do with this then let us check your home,” Daryl growled.

“We checked everywhere, Daryl. I can’t find her anywhere,” Carol sobbed.

“Check it. Go ahead,” Ed snarled.

Daryl marched into the house and Rick followed. They checked every room, Daryl calling Sophia’s name as they went. They looked under every bed, behind every curtain, and inside every cupboard. In her room they looked over her desk for clues and Daryl found a journal under her pillow.

He flipped through it as Rick came to stand by his side and look over his shoulder. 

_...I can’t stand hearing him yell all the time and I hate hearing my momma cry. I’m never gonna have a husband like that. I’m going to grow up and marry a superhero or a policeman. The police want to help me, I can tell. Maybe one of them will one day. They are always so nice to me._

“They? She been friendly with other cops?” Daryl asked. 

“Sounds like,” Rick answered as he moved to the window and looked into the yard. “Doesn’t mean Ed’s totally off the hook. There’s a detached garage back there we haven’t looked in.”

Daryl looked out, too. “Beth could be in there. This guy has perve written all over him.” He marched down the stairs and around to the garage, tugging at the locked door. 

“She ain’t in there,” Ed growled. “Told ya she ain’t here. Just get out there and find her.”

“We gotta check everywhere, Ed,” Rick explained. “She could be hiding from you in there. Seems she might have reason to want to disappear,” Rick finished as he looked right at Carol’s bruised wrists.

“Well, you don’t have my permission to go in there,” Ed shouted. 

“Ed, please. Let them look wherever they need to. She’s gone. She could be anywhere!” Carol pleaded. 

“We can’t put out a BOLO on her unless we’ve cleared her house first,” Rick said.

“You got any other girls in there, Ed?” Daryl asked. “You hiding something? Carol not enough for you to beat up on? You need more? You need to control more women, make them afraid of you, make them...”

“Fuck you,” Ed seethed. “Just because your father fucked you doesn’t mean every father fucks their children,”

Daryl laughed, the kind of laugh that usually precedes a full-blown fit of crazy. “Small towns, huh, Ed. Everyone knows everything. Here’s something you might wanna know. I’m gonna kill you!”

Daryl lunged at Ed again and they fell to the ground, fists flying, spittle and blood spraying the ground around them.

“Stop it!” Carol screamed as Rick again tried to pull Daryl off the other man. “Stop it! It’s drugs okay? That’s what’s in the garage. He’s not a kidnapper and he might beat on me, but he’s never laid a finger on Sophia. _Ever_!”

Rick walked confidently towards the garage. “Open it,” he demanded. “We don’t care about your goddamn drugs. We care about your daughter.” He tugged on the locked door as Carol wretched the keys from Ed’s pocket and opened the door. 

Daryl showed up by Rick’s side and they entered a bigger-than-expected makeshift marijuana greenhouse. “Sophia?” Daryl called. “Beth?”

The room was silent enough to hear a pin drop. The two men quietly circled the room, carefully checking under every table and in every cabinet. It was empty. 

“Where could she be?” Carol wailed, tears and snot running down her face, breaths heaving and hands shaking uncontrollably.. “Is someone kidnapping young girls in this town?” she asked. 

“We’ll get a BOLO out ma’am and we’ll all be looking. I need you to think positive and stay here in case she calls,” Rick said. 

“Ed -- we’re gonna be checking in a lot so I recommend you don’t put anymore blues or purples on your wife. You follow me?” Daryl asked.

“Find my daughter,” Ed growled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damnit! Who done it!?


	8. Intertwined Hands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who beta'd? lotr58!!

“Where are we going?” Rick asked after they left Ed and Carol with Tobin and Tyreese.

“Check the park. Maybe it’s not connected to Beth. Maybe she’s just hiding.”

They parked the car and walked into the empty park as Daryl called Sophia’s name. 

“Shit,” he muttered, as he hung onto a chain from the swingset.

“You okay, man?” Rick asked softly. Daryl looked wild-eyed and exhausted all at once.

“‘M fine,” he answered as he sunk down onto a swing, defeated and deflated.

Rick took a seat on the swing next to him. “It’s okay to feel upset.”

“I said I’m fine,” he insisted, his tone clearly indicating that he was not, in fact, fine.

“Wish there would have been cops working this hard back in the day to help _you_ ,” Rick said softly.

Daryl hung his head and Rick could hear the sounds of some stifled sniffles.

Rick put a hand around one of Daryl’s as they hung onto a chain from the swing set together.

“It’s okay to cry, too. Something tells me you haven’t done much of that.”

Daryl didn’t answer, but Rick could feel the other man rub a thumb over their intertwined hands.

They stayed quiet as the sun continued to rise.

“When’s he supposed to be released?”

“2025,” Daryl said, his voice raked with pain.

“He won’t make it out alive,” Rick said. “Not after what he did. And if he does, I’ll find a way to end his life myself, I swear.”

Daryl tried half-heartedly to smile. “Why you care so much?”

“Cause I like your smile better than your frown,” Rick answered with a smile of his own. “Let’s go sit out on 75 and hand out tickets for a while, huh?”

“We have to focus on…”

“Missing persons is working on it right now. We can keep doing what we planned. Hit one of our guy’s houses tonight and see what we can see. They’ll announce the BOLO tomorrow morning if she’s not found yet and we can watch everyone. See if any of them have an unusual reaction of sorts, or does something that seems suspicious.”

“Rook?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we get a donut first?”

Rick smiled and squeezed Daryl’s hand. “Yeah, man. On me.”

————

That night they sat across the street from Gareth’s house with a Meat Lover’s pizza. “He’s a smug little shit. But you weren’t wrong,” Daryl said. “He is kinda cute. Never seen him with a girlfriend or boyfriend or anything. But you put those boy scout looks in a cop uniform and he might be able to lure someone like Beth in.”

“It’s a long shot,” Rick said as a piece of sausage fell out of his mouth. He pointed to the house with the end of his slice. “We just picked him with the flip of a coin here. We still can’t be certain a cop is involved.”

“A cop knows more about Beth then he’s letting on. That’s all we need to know. She’s been missing for weeks now and Sophia for hours. Tobin and Tyreese are, as usual, taking their damn time.”

“He just turned on a basement light,” Rick interrupted. 

Daryl dropped his slice and got out his binoculars. “Curtains closed on both sets of windows.”

Twenty minutes later the basement lights still glowed. “Maybe he’s keeping them down there. House is plenty big. Why would he need to be hanging out in the cellar?” Daryl asked, getting antsy.

“Maybe he’s lifting weights or something?”

“That pissant? Let’s check the trash.” Daryl got out of the car before Rick could argue. 

“This is so wrong,” Rick said as they crossed the street. 

“Kidnapping children is wrong. This is…maybe ill-advised. Frowned upon at worst.” He reached the cans, lifted a lid and used a pen to move things around. As they stood under the dim light of the half-moon, Daryl lifted up his pen with a bra hanging on the end of it. 

“The hell’s this?” Daryl growled way too loud.

“Okay, let’s think this through,” Rick said, trying to calm Daryl down. “We don’t want to act rash.”

“We don’t? I do! I want to act rash! Let’s pretend we’re drunk and just want to see if he wants to come out for another with us.”

“That’s not a really solid plan.”

“Rick. Two girls are missing. A cop is likely involved. Gareth is a cop. He has no wife or girlfriend and there’s a bra in his trash can. I’m going in.’

“Okay. Okay. I’m with you.”

They walked up to the door and Daryl knocked. They heard a noise banging around behind the door and then it slowly opened. 

A hefty woman with long grey hair answered the door. 

“Who the hell are you?” Daryl asked, surprised. 

“Well, you’re on my porch, son, I should be asking who you are,” she said with a kind smile.

“You live here?”

“Yes, it’s my house…ohhh wait. Are you here for my Gareth? He’s in his room playing video games. I just cleaned it this morning if you want to come in and...”

“No!” Rick and Daryl both shouted in unison. “We actually got the wrong house. Sorry!” Daryl said and he was halfway back to the car before Rick even moved. 

“He lives with his _mother_?” Daryl asked once they were both back to the car, trying not to giggle. “I doubt he’s entertaining anyone else in there.”

“Hey, Norman Bates was a momma’s boy.”

“Well his momma was dead. I think Gareth is cleared.”

\---------------------------  
At the next morning briefing, Rick and Daryl took their usual back seats and instead of chatting they stayed silent and alert. They watched closely as the room filled and each cop picked up the BOLO’s set up on the front desk.

“This ain’t the same girl,” Dwight said confused as he looked back at Morales.

Daryl leaned over and whispered to Rick “Does that look like legit confusion to you?” 

“I dunno. Doesn’t he always look confused?”

“Valid point.”

Morales handed one to Otis who read it over and ran a nervous hand over his head.

“Does he look nervous to you?” Rick whispered to Daryl.

“I dunno. He always looks nervous.”

“Valid point.”

“We’re not gonna get anywhere on this recon, are we?” Daryl asked.

“Let’s just observe.”

Tara picked one up and both men braced for her anticipated outrage. 

“Are you kidding me?” she shouted. “Another one!? What are we the Keystone Cops? How is this happening?”

“It’s happening because Tobin and Tyrese are fucking morons,” Negan said as he grabbed two copies and handed one to Phillip.

“This kills me,” Phillip sighed and Rick and Daryl exchanged a look. 

“Genuine?” Daryl asked.

“Can’t tell.”

“Enough of the commentary!” Abe shouted over the dull murmur of the room. “ Negan, don’t call our boys fucking morons. Even if they can’t figure out how to get to the inside of a hard boiled egg. Now I’m not going to go on and on this morning…”

“Yippeee…” a voice in the middle of the room said followed by group laughter.

“No. Nope. None of it,” Abe said. “No one laughs again until these girls are found. I’m as serious as a nutsack full of knives. No go! Get! Goddamnit do some police work!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any more guesses?
> 
> Next Chapter Title:   
> A Terrible Idea


	9. A Terrible Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to lotr58 for beta'ing this..."stuff"! :-D

Two nights later, Rick and Daryl had camped out at Otis and Dwight’s houses and came away without having witnessed any suspicious activity. 

“We need a break,” Rick insisted. “Let’s take one night off. We’ve been working eighteen hours a day, Daryl. We’re not gonna find shit if we can’t think straight. 

“I can’t sleep,” Daryl said.

“You have to…”

“I _CAN’T_ ,” Daryl growled. 

Rick was quiet as Daryl paced back and forth. “Stuff on your mind? Nightmares?” Rick asked.

“Yeah,” Daryl said, his tone defeated. “Fucking stupid childish shit, I know.”

“It’s not stupid. I still have nightmares once in a while and I haven’t been through a tenth of what you have. Maybe I can just stay over?” Rick suggested. “Maybe you’ll sleep better if you know someone’s here that’s got your back.”

“Don’t need no damn babysitter.”

“Not a babysitter. Just a friend.”

“Will this friend toss back a couple shots of whisky with me?”

“You know how much I love being a cliched cop. You want I should get some donuts to go with this brown liquor?”

Daryl playfully punched Rick’s shoulder. “You make this all easier to deal with, Rick. I’m sorry I’m dribbling my issues all over this case. Just...you’re easy to talk to.”

Rick raised his shot glass. “And so are you,” he said and they both took their shots. 

“What’s the worst thing that ever happened to you, Rick?” Daryl asked as they sat side-by-side on the couch.

“My childhood best friend was murdered.”

“Shit.”

“His name was Shane. We were twelve, feeling invincible. Riding bikes after we snuck out of our houses late at night and ended up on the wrong side of town. He got shot for his bike. I managed to get away. Still feel guilt over it.”

“I can imagine. But you didn’t kill him.”

“But I didn’t die. Why did he have to?”

“Because this world sucks and it ain’t fair.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Rick whispered and they poured more shots and drained them.

They talked about anything and nothing for hours as they grew more tired and more intoxicated. 

Daryl was facing Rick on the couch, a hand on the other man’s knee. “I like you here,” he said with a hint of a slur.

“I like me here, too,” Rick whispered in return. “I have another way to help you sleep, y’know.”

Daryl looked at Rick, let his eyes rake over Rick’s long, lean body. The older man reached over and tugged at Rick’s hips until his body slid down on the couch. Daryl leaned over him so that their noses almost touched. 

“Rick?”

“Yeah?”

“This is a terrible idea.”

“I know. Yeah. It is. It’s terrible.”

“Once we start down this trail, there’s no turning back.” 

“I’m okay with that.”

“You know…I can’t…I don’t bottom. Ever. I...can’t.”

“I’m okay with that,” Rick said again, soft and whispery.

“One of us should be smart and stop this,” Daryl whispered, a warning but not a plea.

“Yeah, that would be wise,” Rick said and he leaned up and captured Daryl’s lips in a desperate kiss. He tasted like bourbon and innocence, smelled like fresh washed flannel - the feel of his nervous hands on Rick’s hips like desperation and desire. 

Daryl’s lips were soft and gentle, timid but eager. “I’ve wanted to fuck you since the first day I had you in my car,” Daryl groaned, hands sliding up under Rick’s shirt to unbuckle and unzip.

“Fuck, Daryl,” Rick moaned as the older man’s hand roamed his body.

“I don’t take these things lightly. This won’t just be a fuck for me,” Daryl warned.

“Good. Because I want more than just your dick.”

Daryl didn’t respond with words, but his hips thrust against Rick’s own as the older man nibbled and bit at Rick’s plump, kissed-pink lower lip. There was a wrestling off of clothing, rushed, as if the material was on fire. Their naked bodies came back together, Daryl’s arms sliding under Rick so that his legs were on Daryl’s strong shoulders.

Rick was stretched wide and waiting. Daryl reached over him and rummaged around in an end table drawer, coming back with a half-empty jar of Vaseline.

“Keep that awful handy,” Rick laughed.

“This is where I usually realize I have to jack one out.” Daryl said frankly. “And I’ve used material just like this to do it. You spread out wide below me, desperate for me to climb inside you, to take you, to _possess_ you.”

“Damn, I like the way you talk,” Rick said, breathless. “Do it. Possess me.” That was all the pleading Rick needed to do. Daryl coated his cock with a liberal amount of Vaseline and pressed achingly slow into the younger man. Rick was totally relaxed, his entrance eager to welcome Daryl in. The feel of the older man sliding in, stretching him, was like beautiful surrender, like giving his body to Daryl to own, to take. As he felt Daryl sinking into him, Rick groaned, guttural and raw. “Yessssssssss,” he moaned. 

Daryl latched onto Rick’s hips again, his shoulders keeping Rick’s legs up and out of the way and he started to pump in and out. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, Rick, Jesus.”

Daryl grabbed Rick’s hand in his own and pressed it to his lips. Rick’s cock jumped at the feel of Daryl inside him, at the mere act of the older man kissing his hand in the middle of fucking, at the knowledge that he was giving Daryl all of himself. 

“Yes,” Rick groaned. Daryl’s breath sped up, his mumbled curses reaching a crescendo until he pumped one final time then held Rick tight as his cock spent itself inside his new lover. 

Daryl rested his forehead on Rick’s as he shivered, slid out, and started to bite back tears. Rick instantly scooted up and wrapped his arms around the older man. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“Fuck. I’m sorry,” Daryl said, his voice more in control now. He stood and looked down at Rick, who was still naked and rock hard. 

“I can’t,” he whispered motioning towards it. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Rick stood and wrapped his arms around Daryl again. “It’s okay. I can take care of that myself. It felt amazing to have you inside me. It was good for me. I don’t...I want all you can give me, Daryl. But I don’t want what you can’t.” 

“I’m so fucked up,” Daryl said, his voice childlike and raw. 

“I want this with you, Daryl. I have no regrets. I hope you don’t. Tell me you don’t.” Rick wanted this rugged, sensitive man with all his heart and he’d take it in any way it could be given. He’d take the good, the bad, the wounded child, the angry cop, the gentle lover who kissed his hand while they rocked together as one.

“I don’t regret wanting you, Rick. You know me better than anyone else on this planet, and it feels good to have that with someone. Feels good to be able to love and to be able to feel...nice things. I been drinking too much. Fuck, Rick. Sorry. I’m a lot, y’know?”

“And I want it all. Let’s lie down and get that sleep okay?”

Daryl shrugged off the gentle touch and headed into his room as Rick followed. “Can I stay?” Rick asked.

“Please.”


	10. Bird Watchin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOTR is awesome.

Rick woke alone to the smell of eggs and bacon. He was still naked from the night before and he rummaged through Daryl’s dresser to find a pair of sweatpants.

“Mornin’,” Daryl said, a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. “Scrambled okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“You look cute in my sweats,” Daryl said as he served the food.

“You look cute serving me breakfast.”

“Listen, I’m into you. I still think it’s a mistake to mix work and relationships, but what’s done is done.”

“We’re both adults, we…”

“Well, I’m an adult. You’re almost there, Rook.”

Rick laughed.

“Look, about last night...I’m kinda fucked up about sex. I like it, but on my terms. It’s selfish...”

“It’s understandable. It feels more intimate and special to get what you’re able to give.” Rick leaned over the table and captured Daryl’s lips in a soft, warm kiss.

“Can I...have you again?” Daryl murmured against Rick’s quivering lips. 

“Please,” Rick whispered back.

Daryl stood and pulled Rick up with him, backing him up to the sink and turning him around. Rick felt Daryl’s thick cock, hard and eager against his backside. Daryl tugged at Rick’s sweats until they fell to the floor. He lifted one leg up onto the counter and pressed at Rick’s eager entrance, until he relaxed enough for Daryl to slip inside.

Again, Rick felt so submissive and controlled. He loved the feeling of Daryl driving him, controlling every move. He felt his own cock trapped between his stomach and the silverware drawer, and Daryl’s desperate, gasping thrusts made him rock his own dick into the cool, hard wood of the cabinets. His hands were busy holding his body steady, but the rhythmic rocking made his cock quiver and spit. 

“Fuck, Daryl. Yes. Don’t stop, don’t stop,” Rick pleaded as he felt the rise of an orgasm. “I’m gonna come. Keep fucking me, please.” 

Daryl grunted with each thrust, one hand firm on Rick’s hip, and the other helping to hold his leg up. 

Finally, Rick felt the tingling of an anal orgasm deep inside him and the sudden flood of ecstasy as the pleasure rushed through him, and he came thick all over the cabinets. Daryl’s thrusting doubled in time as he grunted and whimpered and writhed against Rick until finally Rick could feel him coming apart inside him. 

As Rick lowered his leg, he groaned. “Christ, I felt that orgasm run through every fucking inch of my body.”

Daryl looked at the cabinet and ran a finger through Rick’s seed. He had that subtle smile, just the quirk of his lip.

“Thank you for that,” Rick said.

\------------

It was nearly impossible to concentrate during the morning briefing. Rick felt the ache of Daryl as he sat on the hard metal chair. Daryl hadn’t looked directly at him yet, not since they parted ways way earlier in the morning. But he wore that wordless smile. 

“Alright. Sit. Fucking. Down,” Abe barked out. 

Everyone noticed the tone in his voice and they all sat and quieted without having to be told twice. 

“We have two missing girls in this town now and I want them found. Missing Persons is working the case, but we are the boots on the ground. Take the BOLO’s today. ASK people. TALK to people. Be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”

The two men left the meeting and exited the building, getting into their car wordlessly. 

“I don’t want to talk about this thing at work,” Daryl said as he started the engine. “But can I...take you out to dinner tonight?”

“No. But I’ll take you. You paid last time, I can…”

“No. That’s not how I like to do it. I want to take you out and I want to pay,” Daryl said firmly. 

“Okay. I’d love to. And I promise not another word at work about how wide your cock stretched me open.” Rick grinned and winked at Daryl, even as the other man was already rolling his eyes.

“So today we’re gonna stop every civilian we see and show off those BOLO’s,” Daryl said, the words the start of a long damn day. 

They must have gotten in and out of the car thirty times. Old people playing chess at the park. Mall walkers. Mailmen. Bus stations. People in line at the post office. No one had seen either girl. The trail on Beth was going cold and it was closing in on the 48 hour mark for Sophia.

At dinner they discussed their next move. 

“Negan’s tonight?”

“Yeah. So listen, since we _technically_ aren’t “working” tonight”, Rick airquoted, “Are we allowed to talk openly?”

“What do you gotta talk about so damn bad?” Daryl grumbled.

“Just want to get to know you better,” Rick said softly.

“You already know me. I ain’t got nothing else.”

“I got something,” Rick said as he took a final bite of his burger. 

“Yeah? What?”

“Bit of trivia. Did you know last night was my first time?”

Daryl started choking on a french fry, grabbing at his soda to try and wash it down.

“You fucking shitting me?” Daryl whispered. “You’re a _virgin_?”

“Well, not anymore,” Rick grinned.

“Shit, Rick. I would have tried to make it better for you or something.”

Rick laughed and pushed his empty plate back. “I thought it was perfect. Think I might be a nympho now though, so hope that’s okay with you.”

Daryl looked at the bill and put out a credit card for the waiter. “I think I can handle it, kid.” After a moment Daryl continued. “Care to join me in a dark car for the evening?” He stood and held out his hand for Rick.

“It’s gonna be hard for me to keep my hands to myself on these stakeouts now, y’know.”

Fifteen minutes later they were parked across the street from Negan’s in a dark spot between streetlights.

“Looks like he ain’t even home from work yet. Where the hell’s he going after hours?” Daryl grunted.

“Could he be dating again?”

“I don’t know, man. He was _really_ torn up when Lucille passed.”

“Who’s your favorite musician?” Rick asked.

“What?”

“We’re sitting here doing nothing but waiting. I’m a Tom Petty guy myself.”

“Pink Floyd,” Daryl answered. 

“Pink Floyd?? I gotta tell you, I had ya pegged for a southern rock ‘n’ roll fan.”

“Guess I’m drawn to mellow music. I like to wallow.”

Rick reached out and grabbed Daryl’s hand. “I’ll wallow with you any time you want.”

“No you won’t. You’ll insist on cheering me up.”

Headlights turned onto the street and Rick and Daryl ducked out of habit. “That’s his ride, man,” Daryl said. Negan parked in the drive and popped the trunk. Both men watched as he unloaded a shit ton of groceries. 

“What the hell is he doing? Prepping for the apocalypse? That’s his fourth trip inside,” Daryl asked.

“Maybe he lives with his mother?” Rick said with a straight face. Daryl tried to keep his laughter as quiet as possible. 

They looked back at the house and Daryl held up his binoculars looking for drape-less windows. Suddenly there was a thump on the top of the car and both men jumped.

“Bird watchin’, boys?” Negan’s sing-songy voice rang out as he leaned against the driver’s side door.

“Jesus,” Daryl gasped. “Where the fuck did you come from?”

“Well, shit. Came from my house. Which is nowhere near your house. So now I gotta wonder why the fuck you’re parked here, friend?”

Rick leaned in and looked up at Negan. “We’re fucking. We’re trying to be subtle about it so we parked somewhere away from our homes to make out.”

“Why didn’t you go _in_ your homes?”

“I live with my mother,” Rick said at the same time Daryl said, “Mine’s being fumigated.”

“Mood’s ruined now,” Daryl said with a totally fake smile. “Want to invite us in for a beer?”

“Want to fuck off? I have no idea what you two think you’re doing, but it looks a lot like you’re stalking me and believe me, I know I’m a blast, but there’s not fucking much to see at ten o’clock at night.”

“What were all the groceries for?” Rick asked.

“For fucking cooking, genius. Maybe you don’t know about that because you’re still hanging onto your momma’s teet.

“Maybe we’ll just find another road to make out on. This neighborhood smells. Smells rotten,” Daryl said as he started up the car. 

“See ya at the morning briefing fellas!” Negan said with a wave.

As they drove off, Daryl kept his eyes on the rearview. 

“Something’s up back there.”

Rick nodded. “I agree. Something’s not right. Might not be the girls, but something’s off with him.”

“I say we call it a night,” Daryl said. “He’s worth looking more into with fresh eyes tomorrow.”

“So Daryl? I don’t really live with my mother.”

Daryl gave Rick his quirked up smile. “That you inviting me over?”

“Yeah. I’m not very smooth.”

“You’re not Rook. But I think your awkward is adorable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any new guesses on who done it?


	11. A Better Lover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lotr58 knows words better than I do!

When they walked into Rick’s apartment, Daryl immediately backed the younger man up to a wall, forehead against the younger man’s shoulder. He wrapped his hands around Rick’s waist and sighed. 

“I just don’t want to be one of those precincts that’s on Dateline, all the cops looking like bumbling idiots after the fact.”

Rick wrapped his arms around Daryl. “I know. Maybe we can drive back by Negan’s and check the trash while we know he’s on a call tomorrow?”

Daryl pulled back and looked Rick in the eyes. “Thank you for going on this wild goose chase with me. I know there may be nothing to it...but I have to be _doing_ something. I can’t just sit here while these kids…” Daryl’s voice trailed off.

“Stay here with me, Daryl. Don’t get lost in your memories,” Rick whispered.

“‘M not.” Daryl said and he kissed Rick tenderly. His lips were like velvet and the soft brush of them was enough to stir the butterflies in Rick’s stomach. The feeling of being able to pull his lover’s mind back from the brink of a fall was exhilarating. Rick kissed back, desperate, deep breaths and clanking teeth. 

“Fuck me,” Rick whispered. “I’ve been thinking about being yours all damn day.”

Daryl gripped his hands into Rick’s overgrown curls, their foreheads touching. “Take me however you want,” Rick encouraged.

“Bedroom?” the older man asked.

Rick tugged on Daryl’s shirt and backed up to his room, kicking the door open with his foot.

“I want to be a better lover,” Daryl whispered, innocent, sweet.

“You’re already a fantastic lover,” Rick murmured as he started undressing the other man.

“I need to…”

“Daryl,” Rick yelled, startling the older man. “You don’t _need_ to do a goddamn thing. You are making things more complicated than they need to be. I know your limits and I accept them. I just want you to...take whatever you want. It turns me on to surrender myself like that to you.”

Daryl’s brows knitted like he was trying to understand, part of him suspicious and part just desperate for Rick’s love. Finally, as if a switch had flipped, Daryl’s eyes darkened and he started peeling off Rick’s clothes enthusiastically . 

“I’m going to destroy you in the best possible way,” Daryl growled. 

Rick’s body flushed with excitement. Getting anything from Daryl was special -- a look, a smile. But getting this? His love, his touch...It felt like flying. Daryl kissed him, hands roaming and breaths coming faster, his mouth working against Rick’s, the taste of blueberry glaze sweet on his tongue. 

Rick undressed Daryl, ripping and clawing at buttons and zippers and, once naked, Daryl turned Rick around and pressed him stomach first onto the bed. “I love the feel of your skin,” Daryl said in that low rumble of his as he ran his hands up and down Rick’s sides and along the curves of his ass.

Rick whined at the compliment, his cock filling out as it lay trapped between his belly and the bed. He felt Daryl’s broad chest hover over his back as a hand encouraged one of his legs to spread open wider. “Put your hands on me,” Rick begged and Daryl obliged, his rough fingers gripping Rick’s hips. Before he started nudging at Rick’s desperate entrance, he leaned down and placed a heated kiss on the back of Rick’s sensitive neck. The warmth of his lips sent chills and shivers through Rick’s body.

Daryl started pressing in and Rick could feel himself open and welcome the other man in. It was becoming easier to take him; instead of an intrusion it now felt like he was perpetually empty, and being filled by Daryl completed him. The intimacy of their bodies molding together created a world that was only them. Only Rick and Daryl and hands and fingers and flesh and heat.

Daryl’s thrusts were slow and steady, causing the other man to rock back and forth against the bed, his cock feeling the pressure and slide of it.

“Faster,” Rick whispered and Daryl didn’t hesitate. He rammed into Rick enthusiastically, grunting and groaning with each thrust.

“I love having you at my mercy, Rick,” Daryl gasped out as he pumped in and out.

“‘M yours,” Rick murmured as the feel of impending release started to melt over him like butter. They fell quiet, nothing but heaving breaths and moans until Daryl stilled and held Rick’s hips tight as he spilled inside him. At the same moment the friction of the bedsheets finally gave Rick’s cock what it needed for that flood of release to overwhelm him and he thrust into the bed a few times on his own after Daryl had stopped. He cried out when he felt himself coming, the flood of warmth pooling under his belly.

“Did you?” Daryl asked.

“Fuck. Yes.”

\--------------------------

Rick woke in the middle of the night to the feel of Daryl’s stuttering breaths. He turned from his little spoon position to face his lover. Daryl’s eyelids rolled back and forth with REM and it seemed as if he was trying to yell out. 

“Daryl,” Rick whispered with a touch of his hand to Daryl’s gasping chest. “Daryl, wake up. It’s a dream.”

Suddenly Daryl bolted upright, gasping and gripping the blankets. His hair was sweat-damp and Rick could feel the goosebumps on him when he rested a hand on his arm.

“You okay, man?” Rick asked, as he cocked his head to the side in concern.

“Just the same old, same old,” Daryl said once he was aware that he was awake.

“You get nightmares like that all the time?”

“Nearly every night. Just nightmares. Ain’t like I’m in any danger.”

Rick tucked a strand of hair behind Daryl’s ear. “You wanna talk about it?”

“No,” Daryl answered succinctly. He turned to Rick and kissed his forehead. “You go back to sleep. It okay if I watch some TV in the living room?”

“Sure,” Rick answered and then he watched as Daryl left the room in nothing but his boxers.

The younger man tried his best to fall back to sleep, but the bed felt so cold without Daryl’s warm body there anymore. After a half-hour of lying wide awake, Rick wrapped himself up in the bedspread and walked out to the living room, following the flashes of light from the TV.

“Hey,” Daryl said. “Too loud?”

“No. Okay if I lie here with you?” Daryl nodded and scooted to the end of the sofa and Rick laid on the couch with his head on Daryl’s lap.

“Old episode of _Hawaii 5-0_ ,” he said, nodding at the TV.

“‘Kay,” Rick murmured snuggling against the arm Daryl had laid over him. All Rick remembered was the start of a commercial...then he was fast asleep, with Daryl brushing fingers through his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay- enough of this mush! Time to solve some mysteries! Next chap will post early (on Friday) as a special gift to TWDFan33!


	12. The Colt Python

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to lotr58 as always!
> 
> And thanks to all of you who read, commented and kudo-ed!

The next morning at the briefing, Negan didn’t even make eye contact with them. As they took their seats there was already a new BOLO sitting at every spot. Rick picked it up. “Jesus. Another one.”

Daryl picked his copy up and rested his forehead on his hand. “We need to pick up the pace today,” he whispered as his eyes glanced around the room.

“Alright, listen up,” Abraham barked. “This. Makes. Three. The mayor already has the media up his cornhole and let me tell you, I’m not good at curbing my fucking language so I want these girls found before I have to be interviewed on national television.”

The room was so silent you could hear the rustle of a mouse in the walls as it scrabbled along. 

“Enid here is sixteen. Beth is eighteen. Sophia is twelve. All three were reported to be right outside their homes when they disappeared. Tobin and Tyreese are working an angle, but as usual they aren’t working it fast enough. So I don’t give a goat’s left nutsack if you hand out tickets today, I want you looking for these girls. Period. The public is getting antsy and CNN’s getting ready to dick us over with a poor police force story. So we got a shitstorm behind door A and a storm of shit behind door B. Now GO!”

Everyone was quiet as they left the room, reading over the BOLO as they went.

“Daryl? I think it’s time we get some help here.”

“We can’t get involved with internal affairs considering our relationship…”Daryl started to say.

“Not them. Tobin and Tyreese. Let’s go to them. See what they got and give them what we got.”

“How do we know we can trust them?” Daryl asked

“They’re detectives, not beat cops. The kids said it was a uniformed officer.”

Daryl sighed and folded up the BOLO. “Fine. Let’s go.”

They made their way through the busy office to the detective unit and Daryl walked straight over to the two men that were hunched over their desks, gesturing animatedly as they talked. 

“Hey, you guys have some leads on these girls gone missing?” Daryl asked.

The big, hulking black man looked up first. “I don’t want to hear any shit about how long this is taking, Dixon. We’re under enough pressure.”

“We want to help,” Rick said.

“Everyone wants to help” Tobin sighed. “You got a lead or are you just over here wasting our time?”

Rick and Daryl shared a look. “Let’s not talk here, huh? Meet us at the park on 5th. Ten minutes.” They turned and left without waiting for an okay. Daryl knew the detectives had nothing and they’d need to follow this line.

Once they were together outside the precinct, Daryl kept his eyes on the streets as he talked. “We have some rumblings that it’s a cop. Senoia PD,” Daryl said.

This time Tobin and Tyreese shared a look. 

“What makes you say that?” Tyreese asked.

“Got some leads. We’ve been scoping out houses. All we found out is that Gareth lives with his momma, Negan buys a lot of groceries, Otis self-harms with the windows open, and Dwight wouldn’t have enough time for kidnapping because he’s too busy with his online gaming.

“We’re still suspicious of Negan and we need to check Morales’ house. Maybe you guys can take a look into Phillip and Abe?”

“We’re not wasting time on this unless we know the source is reliable,” Tobin said, arms crossed. 

“How’d you get the lead?” Tyreese asked more directly.

Rick tilted his head to the side and licked his lips. “Some of Beth Greene’s schoolmates,” he said, bracing himself for the fallout.

“KIDS? You want us to drop everything to look into this on the word of some kids?”

“I know the kids, Tobin. I trust them,” Daryl said. 

“Plus, we noticed in Sophia’s diary, which you guys probably have by now, that she mentioned being chummy with multiple officers,” Rick added.

Tyreese and Tobin shared another look. “Well, no sense in hiding our leads now…” Tobin started.

“Tobin, no,” Tyreese interrupted. 

The taller man looked steely eyed at Tyreese. “Nah. Let’s get all the cards out on the table.” He turned to Rick and Daryl. “We saw that mention in the journal. And we talked to some locals that walk by this park we’re in right now. The one you recommended we meet in.”

“Yeah?” Daryl asked, completely confused.

“Well, Daryl. We heard that YOU have been here at the park in the evening. After hours. Talking to young girls. We’ve been scoping out _your_ house.”

“By the way -- policy at the station is to keep it in your pants around colleagues. So you two may want to stop looking so obviously in love,” Tyeese said.

“Shhit,” Daryl hissed. 

“It’s not him,” Rick said. “I’ve been with him constantly. I know everything there is to know.”

Tobin put a hand on Rick’s shoulder. “Easy, kid. We were getting ready to cross him off our list today.”

“I’m not a goddamn kid,” Rick whined, sounding just like a goddamn kid.

“Well, now that we all believe it could be a cop, let’s get our here and start looking for something, yeah?” Daryl suggested.

“Yeah,” Tobin answered. We’ll take Phillip and Abe. You hit the others. Stay in touch and don’t say a word to anyone else in the precinct. If this is real, we sure as shit don’t want it to get out before we can get our shit straight.

\-------- 

Twenty minutes later they were parked in front of Morales’ house. 

“No more watching from afar. We don’t have time for that shit,” Daryl said as he got out of the car.

“Wait, wait...what’s the plan?”

“No need for a plan. We snoop around. Easy peasy.”

Rick followed as Daryl walked towards the house. His frame was so perfect with the broad shoulders and his narrow middle. No wonder it was against policy to date co-workers. Rick could barely concentrate. They stopped at a basement window and Daryl put a finger over his lips to quiet Rick.

There was no noise, silence except for cicadas and the sound of a car door slamming shut somewhere in the neighborhood.

“What are we listening for?” Rick mouthed.

Then they heard it -- a shriek, a girls’ shriek coming from the basement.

“You hear that?” Daryl whispered.

It was followed by another squeal, then another.

Daryl banged on the glass. “Who’s in there?”

No answer.

“This is the police. Do you need help?”

No answer.

“Go up and knock on the door,” Daryl growled to Rick.

The rookie went up to the porch and did as instructed. When no one answered, Daryl came up the stairs and rammed himself into the door. It wouldn’t budge.

“Shouldn’t we call for backup?” Rick asked. “We have reason to go inside, but if we don’t go in by the letter of the law, Morales could get away with it.”

“Fuck. I always thought he was an okay guy. How could I not see this?”

“I’m just as surprised as you are,” Rick said.

“I’m sick of waiting,” Daryl said, and he unholstered his Colt Python and aimed it at the doorknob.

“That’s gonna be a shit-ton of paperwork,” Rick warned, but Daryl was already pulling the trigger. After the blast, they both heard screams from the basement. 

“It’s the police! Shit.. .I mean the good police… good guys,” Daryl shouted. “We’re here to get you out!” Rick ran down the stairs behind Daryl and came to a stop at the bottom. Five girls stood there, still in their pajamas.

“Who the fuck are you guys?” Daryl asked.

“Daryl, language,” Rick whispered.

“Fuck my language, Rick. What is this?”

“Ummm…” one timid girl started. “I’m Eliza. I live here This is my slumber party for my birthday. My dad was supposed to supervise, but he got called into work and mom’s not home yet. We weren’t supposed to let any strangers in. 

Daryl hit his own head with the palm of his hand. “Shit, he has kids. I forgot!”

“Well, kids,” Rick said gently. “Can you tell your mom we’re sorry about the door? We have to go.”

They both turned and ran out of the house. 

“Goddamnit. I can’t think straight anymore,” Daryl growled. 

“It’s okay. That was...that was reason to be concerned. It is what it is. Let’s brush this off and head back over to Negan’s. Maybe do some dumpster diving since he won’t be there this time.

They drove faster than they needed to across town to Negan’s and parked in the same place they had the night before. The trash was at the curb and they saw the truck coming down the road to remove it. 

“Quick, let’s see what we can see,” Daryl urged, and they jogged across the street and lifted the lid. There, sitting on top, was the doll that Sophia always carried. 

“Hey boys, you need something in there?” the garbage man asked. 

Rick looked up. “This is a crime scene. You need to leave this one here today.”

“Shit man. Is there a dead body in there?”

“I hope not,” Rick answered.

After the truck passed, Daryl dug deeper, using a pen to preserve any fingerprints. 

“There,” Rick pointed and lying in the trash was a pregnancy test. 

“This is fucked up,” Daryl said.

Rick already had his phone out, dialing Tyreese’s number and Daryl was once again starting to unholster his gun.

Before the detectives arrived, Daryl had gotten through the door and was rushing through the house calling for Sophia. 

“Officer Dixon?” he heard, a thin weak voice behind a closed door. There was a chain and lock keeping it shut and Rick suddenly appeared with a crowbar. Daryl took it and pried open the door. Inside were three girls. Dirty but alive. Weak but breathing. 

“He wanted to marry us and have babies,” Beth blurted, breathing heavily. “He’s been...he’s been…”

“It’s okay,” Daryl soothed. “You don’t have to talk about it yet. Let’s just get you guys out of here. Have you eaten? Are you thirsty?”

“I just wanna go home,” Enid said, her voice hard and bitter.

“I hoped you’d find us Officer Dixon,” Sophia said. “I snuck my dolly in the trash hoping someone would find it and it would lead to us.”

“You are a smart little girl, Sophia,” Daryl commended. “Now let’s get you all out…”

That’s when Rick heard the eerie whistling. 

“Well, boys. What brings you back to my house again?” Negan asked, a shit-eating grin on his face. “These are my wives. They all agreed to marry me. No need for you to worry your donut-crumbed uniform over it.”

“Negan, man. These girls are _Missing_ ,” Daryl said. “I think you…I think you might be a little confused.”

“I’m not confused. Now get out of here before you startle Lucille.”

“Lucille’s dead, Negan,” Rick said softly as Daryl put a hand on his holstered revolver.

“Alright, that’s once I asked nicely.”

“Negan, put your hands behind your back. You have the right to remain silent…”

Negan moved like lightning, reaching behind a couch and coming up with a baseball bat. “Lucille baby, don’t listen to them.” He swung at Rick and the younger man jumped back just in time to miss the hit. Daryl had his gun drawn now. 

“It’s over, Negan. Drop it.” The girls were crying, sirens were screaming in the distance, and the balance of power in the room was precarious. “I don’t want to do this paperwork, Negan. Drop it,” Daryl shouted.

Negan finally dropped the bat, holding his arms up in surrender. 

“Cuff him, Rook,” Daryl said as he holstered his weapon, but before Rick could even take a step, Negan went for his own service weapon and fired at Daryl. Rick’s reflexes allowed him to move like lightning as he drew his weapon and shot Negan, center mass.

Rick dropped to his knees next to his bloodied partner . “Daryl, shit. Daryl.”

\----------------------

Epilogue

“Paperwork sucks,” Rick groaned.

“Try doing it with one hand, Daryl said, nodding to the sling that trapped his shoulder and arm in place.

Rick rolled his eyes. “I shot to save your life. You shot to get the upper hand over a door. You wouldn’t have to be doing this if you were less antsy,” Rick said.

“That door had it coming. Both of them did.”

Rick grinned at his partner, his friend, his lover. 

“At least you won’t have court-ordered therapy. Like I give a rat’s ass that I killed a rapist. I’m fine with it.”

“Think again. I have therapy, too,” Daryl answered. “Making me do anger management because apparently it’s frowned upon to shoot two doors on the same day.”

“Huh. I don’t remember hearing that at the academy,” Rick chided.

They continued with their paperwork for a while quietly until Daryl broke the silence. “Y’know...I’m not even that upset about having to go to therapy. Probably should’ve gone on my own for a thousand reasons by now. If you and I are gonna be sleeping together more often, I don’t want to wake you up every night with my nightmares.”

Rick nodded, understanding and empathy in his ocean blue eyes. “Yeah, I think it will do you good. Had to stir things up anyway. You want to talk about it?”

“Rick?” Daryl started. “I’m never gonna want to talk about it with you. I appreciate the concern, I do. But I don’t want that world mixing with this one. You’re going to have to let me handle it on my own.”

Rick nodded. “I understand. So if I can’t be of help like that…how about I run out and get us some blueberry glazed?”

Daryl smiled. “That’s just what I needed, Rook. I knew you’d be a damn good boyfriend.”

Rick smiled, kissed Daryl on the forehead and grabbed his keys.

“Don’t forget the coffee!” Daryl said. And when Rick looked back at him, Daryl bit at his lip. “And thanks...Rick.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well- this was my first attempt at mystery. Did it work? Had you figured out the bad guy?

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the start of The Cops. This fic will be posted three times a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Hope to hear from everyone as the story commences as to who you think the villain is!


End file.
